The Zonal Coordinator, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone, Prof. Olufayo Olu-olu has lambasted the Federal Government over perceived lack of interest in human capital development.
Speaking on Wednesday, Prof. Olu-Olu expressed concern over the looming industrial action by lecturers in the country’s public universities.
He wondered how university lecturers could be happy on the job when they cannot pay utility bills, hospital bills or school fees of their children while their wards are schooling outside the country.
“Must you wait for all of us to die before you know there is fire on the mountain?” he asked.
He said although the body had taken necessary steps to prevent industrial action over the “dishonesty and wicked attitude of the Federal Government towards university education in the country”.
However, it seemed the government had preference for strike, which he said was the only language government understood.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti during a press conference addressed by the zonal leadership, Olu-olu lamented that the Federal Government had reneged on implementation of the Memorandum of Action it had with ASUU despite December 2020 timeline for implementation of all outstanding issues.
The conference was addressed jointly with the ASUU chairmen of Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof Olayinka Awopetu; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Dr Adeola Egbedokun; Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Dr Gabriel Omonijo; and Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Dr Kayode Arogundade.